The Manuc Bei or Manuc Bey Mansion (officially – Manuc Bey Historical-Architectural Complex) is located in the city of Hincesti in the central-western part of the Republic of Moldova, including the following buildings: the Manuc Palace, the Bailiff’s House, the Countess’s Building, the Hunting Castle, the Watchtower, etc. Although the mansion bears his name, it was not built by the diplomat and merchant of Armenian origin Manuc Bei Mîrzaian, as is rumored (he died shortly after the purchase of the Hâncesti estate in 1817), but by his descendants – his son Murat, who started the construction of the manor house, and the diplomat’s nephew, Grigore, who completed the work. The mansion is also an architectural monument inscribed in the Register of Cultural Monuments of the Republic of Moldova. The construction of the manor house began under the direction of his son Murat (Ivan) and was completed only by his nephew Grigore. The two built a French-style chateau of stunning beauty, with a winter garden, watchtowers and a huge park. Renovation work (with European funding) started in 2014 and took almost two years, but the result has been a satisfying one. The palace has been renovated in the Renaissance style, preserving the luxury and elegance in which the family of the famous nobleman lived. In the palace, the bedrooms, party rooms, drawing rooms and offices were restored. The palace, the most important part of the Manuc Bey Historical-Architectural Complex, has been fully restored at a cost of €2.5 million, supported by the European Union. Several pieces of furniture were brought from Odessa, where Manuc Bey had another palace. Some of the other furniture was made in Italy, following some original designs. More than 60 specialists, both Moldovan and Romanian craftsmen, worked to recreate in detail the authentic 19th-century style. During the reconstruction of the Bailiff’s House, the builders found a wooden beam holding up the roof of the house, inlaid with the year 1859, which is believed to be the year the construction was completed. The reconstruction of the Princely Palace uncovered a larger number of architectural elements and objects once used, which are now on display for visitors. The underground tunnels and galleries are famous in Hâncesti, they connected numerous buildings and households to serve as escape routes in case of danger. Most of them were demolished over time, however, the tunnel between two important buildings – the Princely Palace and the Iamandi House – was restored on the territory of the complex. The Iamandi House exhibits numerous objects collected by the Museum of History and Ethnography, which represent ancient periods discovered during excavations in the territory of the Hâncesti district, as well as objects from the last centuries, which are related to the culture and domestic rites of the inhabitants of this region. Manuc Bey – real name Emanuel Mârzaian – was “a clever and exceedingly rich Armenian” born in 1769 in Rusciuc (today Ruse), a merchant, moneylender and – according to some historians – secret agent. Brokering connections, informing and negotiating on behalf of the Russians and the Ottomans, Manuc knew how to profit from the Russo-Turkish war, even on his own behalf.
The Manuc Bey Historical-Architectural Complex, a tourist attraction in Hincesti of the Republic of Moldova
